Hame-fastener



No. 6l9,8l2. Patentad Fab. 2|, I899. A. WARD.

HAME FASTENER.

(Application filed June 80, 1898.)

(No Model.)

W l 7 7 9 Z UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR WARD, OF EAST JORDAN, MICHIGAN.

HAM E-FASTEN'ER.

SPECIFICATION formin part of Letters Patent No. 619,812, dated February 21, 1899. Application filed June 30,1893- Serial No. 634,361. (No model.)

T0 at whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR WARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at East Jordan, in the county of Oharlevoix and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful flame-Fastener, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to means for connecting the loose ends of hames, collars, and the like, and is designed to provide a fastening means of this character which will be flexible, so as to conform readily to the outline of the parts connected thereby, and which at the same time will obviate the objectionable features against rigid fastenings and devices of this character constructed of leather or like material.

The fastener in its entirety consists of terminal hooks and short lengths of chain, one of the chains having an operating-lever pivotally connected therewith and provided with a catch for engaging with and securing the free end of the lever after the elemental parts comprising the fastener have been coupled.

For a full understanding of the merits and advantages of the invention reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings and the following description.

The improvement is susceptible of various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof, and to a full disclosure of the invention an adaptation thereof is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a perspective view showing the relation of the parts when coupled. Fig. 2 is an elevation, the full lines showing the operating-lever engaging with the terminal link of one member of the fastening and the dotted lines showing the position of said lever when secured. Fig. 3 is a detail view showing the manner of releasing the operating-lever by dotted lines. Fig. 4 is a detail view in perspective of the terminal hook having the duplex hooked catch-plate.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

The fastening comprises similarly-formed members 1 and 2, consisting of a series of links and terminal hooks 3, the latter being adapted to engage with the links or loops at the extremities of the hames 4 to be connected. The links consist of blocks and bars alternately disposed, the blocks being of a length so as to admit of the terminals of the bars coming as close together as possible without interference.

The operatinglever 5, curving slightly throughout its length, is provided at one end with a bent portion 6, forming an arm which has pivotal connection with a terminal link of the flexible member 2. The opposite end of the operating-lever is split longitudinally, forming spring-arms 7, which have their end portions expanded, forming finger-grips 8.

. These spring-arms 7 are adapted to be pressed together, so as to enable them to clear the hooked catches 9 of the plate 10, formed with or applied to the terminal hook 3 of the flexible member carrying the operating-lever 5. The long arm of the operating-lever curves outwardly between its ends and conforms to the curvature of the collar, as will be readily understood.

The plate 10 may be formed with or applied to the terminal hook 3 of the member 2, and its outer end is notched, forming projecting parts which are undercut, and provide the hooked parts or catches 9,which engage with the spring-arm 7 of the operating-lever and hold the latter in such a position as to prevent the uncoupling of the members after the parts to which they are attached have been secured.

The terminal hooks 3 are adapted to engage with the eyes or links at the ends of the hames or parts to be connected, and these parts are drawn together by passing the operating-lever through the terminal link of the member 1, as indicated in Fig. 2, after which the end of the operating-lever is moved upward or toward the catch-plate 10, whereby the hames are drawn together. The cleft portion of the operating-lever is pressed between the hooked catches 9 and are engaged thereby and held in place. The terminals of the spring-arms project beyond the catch-plate 10, thereby enabling the parts 8 to be gripped between the thumb and finger of a hand, so as to be pressed together to enable them to too clear the hooked catches 9 when it is required to release or uncouple the members 1 and 2 and the parts connected thereby.

Having thus described the invention,what is claimed as new, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is

1. In a hame-fastener, the combination of corresponding members, an operating-lever having an end portion bent about at right angles and pivot-ally connected with one of the members, and adapted to engage at the elbow with the other member when drawing the parts together, and having its opposite end portion separated longitudinally forming spring-arms and terminating in finger-grips, and a pair of oppositely-disposed catches applied to the opposite end of the member having the operating-lever pivoted thereto and adapted to engage with the spring-arms of the operating-lever, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. The herein-described fastener, comprising corresponding flexible members each composed of links and a hook at the outer ends of said members, a plate applied to one of the hooks and notched and undercut forming a pair of oppositely-disposed hooked catches, and an operating-lever having an end portion bent about at right angles and pivotally connected with the terminal link of the member provided with the catch-plate and having its opposite end portion longitudinally slotted forming spring-arms to engage with the pair of hooked catches, and having the extremities of the spring-arms expanded forming fingergrips, substantially as shown for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signaturein the presence of two witnesses.

ARTHUR WARD.

\Vitnesses:

C. 1-1. MADDAUGH, FRED E. BoosINGER. 

